Penn State Sports Magazine
Issue link: https://comanpub.uberflip.com/i/104338
chatter at the Big Ten Kickoff Luncheon about the Nittany Lions vying for the Leaders Division crown. The one guy who has consistently touted the program's potential has been its coach, Bill O'Brien. While he has shied away from making specific predictions, he has been effusive about the long-term hopes for a return to elite status and recently referred to Penn State as "a top-10 football program." "I really believe that we're going to be in that category someday," he said. "I don't think we're there right now; I think we've got a ways to go." Ineligible for bowl consideration for the next three years, the Nittany Lions are indeed facing a long road back. Here's a look at where things stand now that the focus has shifted to 2013. QUARTERBACK Steven Bench played in two games last season, completing 2 of 8 passing attempts for 12 yards. That might seem like a fairly skimpy statistical portfolio, but it makes him the most experienced contender for the starting position this fall. Whether it makes him the favorite is another question entirely. Bench played sparingly as a true freshman, as the coaching staff opted to focus most of its attention on McGloin. The emphasis on McGloin's development worked out well for Penn State last year, as the senior stayed healthy and enjoyed by far the best season of his career. But it had a drawback in that the Nittany Lions don't have much of a feel for how Bench will perform in a game-day environment. He saw his most extensive action – 12 plays – against Virginia, as he relieved the injured McGloin late in the second quarter. And while the coaching staff did a marvelous job of grooming McGloin for his role as leader of the new-look offense, it had a builtin advantage in that McGloin was an experienced senior who didn't have a heavy course load going into his last couple of semesters on campus. Bench doesn't have that luxury. The Nittany Lions also have a number of newcomers who are already on cam- SAVING HIS BEST FOR LAST Zwinak gained 904 of his teamleading 1,000 rushing yards during the Big Ten season. pus. The most prominent is juco transfer Tyler Ferguson, who threw for 2,614 yards and 22 touchdowns for the College of the Sequoias in California last season. Ferguson is a 6-4, 190-pounder with sophomore eligibility. Said O'Brien, "We're really excited about working with him." Also on board are Austin Whipple, a 6-2, 200-pounder from the Salisbury School in Connecticut and the son of former Cleveland Browns quarterbacks coach Mark Whipple, and D.J. Crook, a 6-2, 205-pounder from Worcester, Mass. O'Brien called them "two athletic-looking guys who are ready to go to work." The final contender is Christian Hackenberg, who is slated to arrive this coming summer after getting his diploma from Fork Union Military Academy. It's unclear whether Penn State is looking at Hackenberg as a legitimate challenger for the starting nod or would prefer to redshirt him while the others do battle.